Breaking Out Read Online Free PDF

close in case.”
    He gave me a subtle thumbs-up, understanding
exactly what I meant. If she threatened us, I’d get us back to the
camp via the lines and we’d take off, then come back for Samson,
who was perfectly able to take care of himself. In fact he’d
probably be able to find us no problem.
    Because the trail was steep, it took two
hours. We stopped once, Samson, Jay and me jumping under a
waterfall to cool off and ease our aching, bloody feet. It was at
least eighty degrees when you came out from under the trees, and
the sun was strong. We’d end up sunburned as well as
sore-footed.
    The ranger and her horse led our expedition
up the trail while Samson brought up the rear, burying any stray
drops of my blood as soon as they hit the ground. Before I’d left
home I’d changed my look, my scent, even my aura, but my blood was
my blood: irrefutable evidence that I’d passed this way. I was
beginning to think that Sinlae must’ve seen how some of
Samson’s more practical talents would come in handy. I patted his
head and promised him he’d get a fish of his own for dinner. His
rear end wiggled.
    We froze when we entered the site we’d
chosen. None of our stuff was there. I gestured to Samson, who
sniffed around then took off in a sprint, running over to a trio of
large bushes hidden behind a boulder. All of our stuff had been
tucked away.
    I glanced at the female. “Did you move
it?”
    She lifted her chin the way Sinlae did when
she was going to lecture me. “It’s not wise to leave your camp
unattended. I was teaching you a lesson.” A lie. She knew who I
was. Holy crap.
    “Did you look thru our stuff?” Jay asked. My
dad’s note was there. Our cash cards, both sets of IDs, our
phones…
    “No.” Major flux in her aura—another lie.
    Jay didn’t know she was lying. “Well, here’s
your towel back, honey.” Jay tossed it to her, but she ducked and
it overshot the mark.
    “It’s yours now, bear.” She smiled a fake
smile, dropping the fish we’d caught on the ground. At least she’d
been willing to carry them back for us.
    “I’m Jay. You?” He stretched out his hand and
waited.
    “Celine.” She didn’t take Jay’s hand, so he
shrugged and dropped it. Fae were picky about who they touched.
    She glanced at me, questioning. “Charles
Crawford” I said.
    “Join us for lunch? We’ve got plenty,” Jay
offered, glancing my way. I nodded. Maybe we could find out what
sidhe she called home. Samson whined behind me, afraid he’d lost
dibs on a whole fish.
    “You can have some of mine, you big pig.” I
rubbed his head, keeping him close.
    “Sorry. I have to check in. We’ll meet again, boys .” She turned her horse north, Jay shouting out, “I’m
twenty!” He frowned when she didn’t respond, shouting even louder.
“You didn’t look at our IDs.”
    Celine twisted in the saddle, her smile
reminding me too much of the former Queen of Faerie, Fionna, my
creep of an aunt. The hair on my arms stood on end.
    She’d said she was reporting to someone and
that she’d be back. This wasn’t good.
    As Celine and her horse disappeared around a
bend in the road, Jay and I looked at each other with the same
worried expressions. We washed off in the river, changed into jeans
and tee shirts, eating our lunches in silence. Only Samson looked
happy.
    “She went through our stuff, right?”
    “Yeah, I think so.”
    “Do you think she figured out who you
are?”
    “We can’t take any chances. My dad’s note was
there.” It might give her too many clues.
    “Burn it,” Jay said. My head snapped around.
“You said we can’t take chances,” Jay added.
    Frowning, I pulled the note out of the pack,
reading it one last time and tossing it into the small fire we’d
built to cook our fish. I stared at the fire for the few seconds it
took to shrivel and turn to ash. The words would stick with me no
matter what. We packed up quickly and took the lines to our next
destination.
     

CHAPTER